Helmut Hoffmann
Helmut Hoffmann is between the age of 20 and 22, attending the University of Munich, studying classic literature. One of his favorite professors is a Jewish teacher of German literature named Rosenberg. Helmut is first introduced to the Nazi Party when he meets Reinhard Heydrich at fencing practice in the Munich University sports center. At first, Helmut sees the Nazi ideology as "primitive rubbish" but is eventually talked into joining the Nazis when he witnesses a meeting between Adolf Hitler and German industrialists at the Ruhr. Helmut joins the SS in January 1933, just after Hitler is appointed as Chancellor of Germany. Resigning from the university, Helmut travels to Berlin and becomes an officer in the Sicherheitsdienst (SD). His formal title is "Special Assistant to Heydrich"; however, what Helmut actually does in the SS (apart for delivering paperwork to Heydrich) is not made entirely clear and only once is anyone seen working for him. By late August 1939, Helmut is an SS-Sturmbannführer and is shown assisting both Heydrich and Heinrich Müller in organizing the staging of the Gleiwitz incident. By 1940, he has become involved with Einsatzgruppen administration and attends a high level meeting regarding the execution of the upper class of Poland. By the time of the Soviet invasion in 1941, Helmut is an SS-Obersturmbannführer and is still serving in the SD when Reinhard Heydrich is made the Acting Reich Protector of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. In a clever scene, Helmut is advised that Heydrich is leaving Berlin for Prague and that: "You better hope Himmler has a job for you, or you'll find yourself fighting Russians". In the very next scene, set a year later after the assassination of Heydrich, Helmut is shown wearing a closed collar SS tunic of the Waffen-SS, along with several combat medals and a ribbon for service on the Eastern Front. While not directly stated in the film, it does appear that Helmut did find himself fighting Russians. After assisting in the destruction of the Czech town of Lidice, Helmut is promoted to the rank of senior colonel in the SS and, in the summer of 1944, assists in the round-up of suspects in the July 20th Plot on Adolf Hitler's life. When World War II reaches its end in 1945, Helmut is a worn out man who realizes that his service in the SS helped nothing and that he had participated in terrible crimes. In late April 1945, while attempting to desert the ruins of Berlin, Helmut is shot and killed by an SS Werwolf patrol. Awards *Iron Cross 1st Class *Iron Cross 2nd Class *War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords *Eastern Front Medal *German Sports Badge (Silver) Notes *There is no corresponding rank to Oberführer, it is referred to as Brigadier by the British and often referred to as Senior Colonel by others. Gallery Helmut Hoffmann (2).jpg Helmut Hoffmann (3).png Helmut Hoffmann (4).jpg Helmut Hoffmann (5).jpg Karl and Helmut.png|Karl and his brother Helmut. Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich (1).jpg|Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich. Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich (2).jpg|Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich. Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich (3).jpg|Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich. Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich (4).jpg|Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich. Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich.jpg|Helmut and Reinhard Heydrich. Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut Hoffmann, Helmut